Chileanthicus lafertei

Overview & Synopsis

Chileanthicus lafertei (Solier, 1851) (Figs 34–37) Formicomus lafertei Solier, 1851: 277. Anthicus lafertei; Fairmaire & Germain (1863). Formicomus lafertei; Pic (1911), Blackwelder (1945). Type locality. Chile, central provinces (“Se halla en las provincias centrales”) Redescription (female, syntype). Body brown with rufous tinge, head somewhat darker, elytra with pale yellowish transverse band at about mid-length (Fig. 34), interrupted on suture, not touching lateral margins; legs, antennae and palpi rufous brown. Head 1.3 times as long as wide, rather widely rounded posteriorly; tempora subparallel closely behind eyes and then moderately narrowing posteriad; posterior temporal angles rounded but distinct. Eyes small, moderately convex. Dorsal surface smooth and glossy; punctation mostly very fine and sparse, somewhat more prominent anteriorly on frons, with a few scattered coarse punctures. Antennomere III 3.2 times as long as wide. Pronotum 1.5 times as long as wide, distinctly narrower than head including eyes, rounded anteriorly in dorsal view; pronotal disc convex, dorso-lateral sides somewhat rounded, lateral outlines nearly straightly narrowing posteriad in dorsal view. Dorsal surface smooth and glossy; punctation similar to that of head, mostly fine, coarser punctures sparsely scattered, more numerous/distinct dorso-laterally near base. Elytra 1.8 times as long as wide, truncate apically. Surface glossy; punctation fine and sparse, inconspicuous. Metafemora unidentate (Fig. 35), subapical process very small, obliquely projecting, facing outer side of tibia. Abdominal sternum VII modified (Fig. 36), its posterior margin shallowly emarginate and with short, wide, angular, median process. Tergum VII triangular (Fig. 37), bluntly pointed apically, its dorsal side evenly, moderately convex. Body length. 4.4 mm. Type material. Syntype: ♀ [originally pinned, lacking a part of antennae, with setation nearly completely abraded]: MUSEUM PARIS CHILI Gay 15-43 [p; grey-green label] // TYPE [p; red label] // Formicoma Lafertei Sol. Chili Type [h] (general collection, MNHN). Differential diagnosis. Despite rather limited material, Chileanthicus lafertei is well-characterized by the unique modification of female sternum VII (Fig. 36). The examined type displays also a triangular, apically bluntly pointed tergum VII (Fig. 37). C. femineus sp. nov. is the only other species showing a modified female sternum VII, however it differs substantially in this character (cf. Figs 36, 21). Distribution. Chile (central provinces). Remarks. Solier (1851) described Formicomus lafertei from an unstated number of specimens collected in central Chile. Having studied the female syntype, I found the specimens used in the redescription of C. lafertei by Werner (1966) to belong to a different unknown species. It is described above under the name C. elmorado sp. nov.